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CONTENTS East Side Monthly • September 2019

Photography by Mike Braca

Trinity Rep shows us Buddy’s story is far from over (pg. 33)

This Month

11 Lippitt House expands accessibility through partnership with national initiative

33 THE SHOWMAN Trinity Rep puts the complicated life of Buddy Cianci onstage for the first time

12 Doors Open RI returns, to Pawtucket and Central Falls

50 THE TOAST OF THE TOWN

14 Project GOAL strives to help kids grow into every aspect of their identities

The anatomy of the dish that put Sydney on the map

52 CAN-DID ARTWORK Rhody craft beer cans provide a ready canvas for local brewers and graphic designers

Every Month 6 Editorial and Letters

Food & Drink 47 Flavor of the Month: Grab a Swedish treat at this College Hill cafe

16 An East Sider’s first graphic novel

48 Food News: Modern Diner keeps diner culture alive in Rhode Island

18 Inside the East Side

55 Dining Guide

21 Rhody Gem: Remember The Map Center on North Main? We found it! 25 Neighborhood News

News & Culture 9 Brianna Moon is a small store

Life & Style 41 Home of the Month: The streamlined

with a big purpose

style of a Hope Street shop owner

On the Cover:

44 Education: Students can earn credit by helping upgrade low-income homes

Calendar 59 Events you can’t miss this month East Sider 66 The surprising story of an East Side literary lynchpin

Buddy Cianci lives on in Trinity Rep’s production of Prince of Providence. Artwork by Brandon Harmon.

East Side Monthly • September 2019 5

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

If we can’t move the needle on the educational output of our city, given the current crisis, it’s likely we never will. And while suggestions for change are whistling out from everywhere, the fingers of blame are right behind them. The reality is, all of us are to blame. Let’s start with the teachers. Some of the most serious criticism, at every level of the report, has been leveled at them. But the initial response from the teachers and their union has been to concentrate on the deplorable condition of the schools cited in the Johns Hopkins report. Reaching out to politicians and the media, they seemed to be hoping to move the focus onto the poor conditions, thereby changing the narrative. This is not acceptable. As the old legal adage goes: “If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither on your side, pound the table.” One hopes they will come to the upcoming bargaining sessions with more constructive input, for without their experience, flexibility, and ultimately, commitment, real progress will be impossible. But there are plenty of others to cite as well. For years, our elected officials at all levels, but particularly here in Providence, have not been able to create the sense of urgency or leadership skills necessary to move the needle. Six superintendents in 20 years. Need we say more? The state of the built infrastructure in Providence didn’t just deteriorate

overnight and has always been ignored. On the state level, ever-changing funding mechanisms don’t help either. Nor does a legislature that, during this past session, seemed to favor union priorities at the expense of individual town or city decision-making. Even the East Side bears some responsibility, too, as many of us sit back and choose to accept a substandard educational product in our city while we send our children to private or parochial schools. With the crisis now identified, the new measuring stick is needed. Let’s not identify who is at fault, but rather, who is willing to now step forward and do their part to help us begin to take the first steps to get out of this disheartening situation. Right now, everyone seems to have a suggestion. Blow up the system. Boost the charters. End the micromanaging by the Mayor and the Council and let professionals do their job. Streamline the hiring processes to allow more alternative teachers. Replace underperforming teachers but pay extra for the ones with the most difficult assignments. Ban cell phones. More discipline. Dress codes. The list goes on, and all will be undoubtedly be under discussion by the state and city powers that be over the next few months. With the state now involved, everyone wants this to be the moment of radical change. We suggest the parties develop a step by step and, most importantly, measurable path and we can build from there. Pie in the sky? We don’t think so. Just look at what’s been done by our state neighbor to the north.-Barry Fain

Photography by Savannah Barkley for East Side Monthly

CALL THE STUDIO TO BOOK YOUR BIKE!

East Side Monthly Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

Media Director Jeanette St. Pierre

Executive Editor Barry Fain

City Editor Steve Triedman

Editor in Chief Elyse Major

Editor Megan Schmit

Staff Writer Robert Isenberg

Editor Lauren Vella

Art Director Nick DelGiudice

Associate Art Director Brandon Harmon

Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Graphic Designer Taylor Gilbert

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Calendar announcements and news releases should be submitted by the 1st of the preceding month. We reserve the right to omit and edit items. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters without exceptional circumstances. East Side Monthly is not responsible for typographical errors. Corrections will be run at discretion of editor.

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NEWS & CULTURE East Side Stories | Inside the East Side | Neighborhood News

East Side News

Reach for the Moon

Brianna Moon runs a small store with big purpose

Photo courtesy of Brianna Moon

By Rebecca Clark

Hope Artiste Village is known for its interesting mix of businesses and just recently added another shop to its directory: Brianna Moon, a vintage clothing store named for its owner. While small, with just two racks and a selection of Brianna’s handmade jewelry, the shop has much to offer. Says Brianna, “What sets my store apart from others with a similar aesthetic is that I am hand-making and altering 95 percent of the items in my store. There are no wholesalers or vendors I fill it with.” Brianna uses

a lot of leftover materials, especially for her jewelry. “In a world full of ‘stuff,’ I am trying to find ways to repurpose or make new items in a sustainable manner as well as give back to the community.” From a passion for repurposing to helping others, Brianna’s devotion to her community is evident throughout her store. It starts with styling – “I one hundred percent want customers to come into my store and get the full treatment. Styling for me is a way to show a person’s personality and help them

feel and look like their best self” – but it also goes beyond that. Brianna gives five percent of her sales to the Sojourner House, a local nonprofit supporting victims of domestic abuse. “I have people very close to me who have experienced domestic violence and I myself was a victim of cyber stalking for 14 years,” Brianna says, “so supporting a nonprofit that supports women who have been through trauma, domestic, and sexual violence is something very important to me.” Pawtucket, BriannaMoon.com

East Side Monthly • September 2019 9

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News & Culture East Side News

All Are Welcome

Lippitt House Museum expands visitor access through partnership with national initiative By Ed McCarthy

If you liked Downton Abbey’s architecture and home interiors, good news: Lippitt House Museum at 199 Hope Street is now opening its doors to even more people, in a new way, thanks to a partnership with national initiative Museums for All.

You might have passed the handsome brick house on Hope Street, or perhaps heard of the Lippitts, a prominent family in Rhode Island since colonial times. Their family home was built in 1865 and donated to Preserve Rhode Island in 1981; since

Photo courtesy of Lippitt House Museum

The staff at Lippitt House see the museum as a resource, and want to share it with the community through more accessible tours and programs

then, it has become a museum and National Historic Landmark. Preserve Rhode Island describes the Lippitt House as “one of the best-preserved Victorian interiors in America, allowing visitors to step into Providence’s Golden Age.” Cathy Saunders, Lippitt House Museum’s Curator of Education, says the organization’s leaders want the museum to be viewed as a community resource and were concerned that admission charges ($10 per person over age 12 and $5 for students) were keeping some people away. In an effort to expand visitor access, Lippitt House started working with Museums for All™, a national initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services that partners with four other Rhode Island museums in addition to Lippitt House. The program supports those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits by offering free museum admission for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. The program pairs perfectly with Lippitt House’s other efforts to increase accessibility, including self-guided tour options in both Spanish and American Sign Language in addition to guided tours in English. Since the affiliation’s launch in July, Cathy happily reports that the first participants thoroughly enjoyed their visit soon afterward. She’s optimistic that more visitors will take advantage of the program as people learn of it through press coverage and the museum’s work with other community groups like RI Family Literacy Initiative and Dorcas International. Says Cathy, “We hope that as we get the word out through publications like East Side Monthly, we will see more community members take advantage of Museums for All.” For open hours and other information, visit Lippitt House Museum online at PreserveRI.org/Lippitt-House-Museum or call 453-0688.

East Side Monthly • September 2019 11

News & Culture East Side News

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Most people were happy to see the John E. Fogarty Building torn down. The structure was a concrete box on Fountain Street. But Caroline Stevens appreciated those rows of gray window frames, and so did more than 30 others – so they arranged a “funeral,” complete with an obituary, memorial poem, and a kazoo parade. “We’re trying to connect people to place,” says Caroline, who founded Doors Open RI in 2017. “We’re constantly trying to do new and interesting things.” As the Fogarty funeral proves, Doors Open RI isn’t your boilerplate city tour; it’s funky and experimental, and Caroline seems born for this role. A native of Washington, DC, Caroline lived for several years in Illinois, where she was hired to coordinate the first Open House Chicago. Caroline studied art history at Beloit College, and she has always loved scouting urban

spaces; today, Open House Chicago incorporates hundreds of venues and draws tens of thousands of people. “This model for citywide open house festivals is practiced around the world,” says Caroline. “You try to think of a city as a museum.” The first Doors Open RI Festival invited participants to poke around Providence, such as the 200-year-old dome of the Beneficent Congregational Church. The second edition will take place in Pawtucket and Central Falls. “I just wanted to explore a new place,” says Caroline. “I think radiating out from Providence is a good strategy. Our name is Doors Open Rhode Island. I want to make good on the Rhode Island part.” This one-day festival will take visitors through both towns, and the stops are diverse: There’s Slater Mill, of course, but

Photo courtesy of Christian Scully, Design Imaging Studios

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there’s also 238 Main Street, a long-abandoned commercial building with a glass dome. The festival will return to Providence in 2020, but Caroline loves to celebrate less-famous sites across the state, and more regularly. “Usually these events are just the one annual festival,” she says. “But I’m trying to build something that has other programs throughout the year.” Caroline herself looks forward to Cogswell Tower, a stone clock that rises out of a Central Falls hilltop. Completed in 1904, Cogswell looks like a castle wreathed in an iron grille. “It’s a tower that sits atop a natural grotto,” says Caroline. “To me, this encapsulates what Doors Open is all about. It’s just too cool.” The Doors Open RI Festival takes place September 28 at various locations. DoorsOpenRI.org

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News & Culture East Side News

A Community Win

Project GOAL strives to help participants grow into every aspect of their identities By Lauren Vella

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Bryce and Javier were honored at the NE Revolution game in July

Photo courtesy of Project GOAL

CoLab, Pawtuxet Village

Fifteen years ago, Darius Shirzadi, Peter Whealton, and Javier Centeno started Project GOAL to help young children achieve their academic and athletic dreams. Today, the organization is still up and running, but this dedicated group of staff and volunteers has made it their mission to become more than just about school and sports. Coach Bryce DuBois says that Project GOAL is striving to become more socially aware and inclusive, and help kids grow into their identities. The acronym GOAL stands for Greater Opportunity for Athletes to Learn. And learn they do. The program is targeted towards children between fifth and tenth grade. Each year, kids are bussed from the Central Falls and Providence area twice a week after their regular school day to Calcutt Middle School (Fall/Winter) and Moses Brown (Spring) for an hour-and-a-half of tutoring. The classrooms are supervised by certified teachers, and supported by volunteers, who are usually men’s and women’s soccer players from Providence College and Brown University. After their academic session, they train with licensed soccer coaches, which Bryce says is a great way to incentivize learning. Recently, Project GOAL was offered the opportunity for two coaches to receive training to help the program to become a more LGBT+-inclusive safe space, both on and off the soccer field. The program belongs to StreetFootballWorld, an international network of organizations that operate on the “soccer for good” mission. Through the coalition, Project GOAL was invited by the Play Proud initiative to participate in a year-long fellowship that trains staff on how to create safe spaces for all of their athletes. Says Bryce, “The goal of our program is to be inclusive and support young people. They’re also developing their identities...” He emphasizes that this training allows mentors to empower their athletes to accept their identities during crucial stages of development. ProjectGOAL.org

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News & Culture East Side News

Experience. Integrity. Results.

From The Shadows

Alison Blackwell wants readers to consider all layers in her first graphic novel Hungry Ghost By Lauren Vella

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Read Alison Blackwell’s self-published graphic novel Hungry Ghost, and you might find your head swimming – in a good way. The main character Carey is anorexic, artistic, funny, and, at times, chillingly self-loathing. Fresh out of rehab, she befriends an 11-year-old girl she mentors while a serial killer looms in the

background. The gripping thriller deals with a number of serious topics through the frame of a simple plot line. But, what creator Alison really wants the reader to know is that these characters are more than just their problems. They’re multidimensional. In Hungry Ghost, you’ll find familiar sprawls

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of the East Side – a hilltop view of downtown and panels of the RISD Museum. Alison explicitly states that these characters bare no resemblance to people in her life, but aspects of the setting, plot, and characterizations are based on her real-life experiences. Alison graduated from RISD in 2007, right before the housing bubble burst. Riddled with anxiety and the overwhelming reality of being an artist in a challenging job market, she leaned fully into an eating disorder. “I really spiraled super hard, and was just like, ‘There’s nothing special about me, I don’t matter.’” In the book, Carey too grapples with anorexia, but her mental illness is a subplot, not the plot, a decision the author made deliberately. When mental health is discussed in most media, a character’s struggle becomes their defining trait. Having battled an eating disorder herself, this representation was something Alison wanted to avoid. “I had read a lot of books about eating disorders and stuff but it’s just like, the entire plot is the eating disorder, and you don’t actually really understand a lot about the person doing it, other than that they have an eating disorder.” Readers will note that there is much more to Carey’s characterization than anorexia. She is funny, often inappropriately bantering with mentee, Alanna. She’s deeply troubled, misunderstood, and vulnerable, yet she yearns to express herself. Beyond Carey’s misfortunes, both Alanna and Henry have “ghosts” and tribulations of their own. Hungry Ghost is the first installment of this graphic thriller series. Currently, Alison is working on the second book, which she anticipates will be finished in the next year-and-a-half. You can find Hungry Ghost at Books on the Square in Providence and Rah-Coco’s Collectibles and Stillwater Books in Pawtucket. Read a portion at RhodaPerdition.com.

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East Side Monthly • September 2019 17

News & Culture Inside the East Side By Barry Fain

Another One Bites the Dust

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The official conviction and sentencing of Luis Aponte for embezzlement certainly should come as no surprise to anyone who follows Providence politics. Like Kevin Jackson, his fellow councilman who is currently serving actual jail time for his financial transgressions, Aponte brazenly refused to give up his seat or his chairmanships at the Council for several years before things finally hit the fan. Aponte’s departure is arguably even more disruptive since the current City Council President used his vote to create a leadership team that allowed her to wrest the position away from David Salvatore last year. Just more Providence politics on steroids. And here’s one more ironic footnote while we’re at it. Remember when Buddy Cianci made his final comeback attempt in 2014 but was defeated by the now current mayor Jorge Elorza? Had Buddy won, and then passed away two years later as he did in 2016, the president of the City Council would have automatically become Mayor. In that case, it would have been the now-convicted felon Luis Aponte. Back then, he was only under siege for campaign reporting violations. You can’t make this stuff up. Where are the adults in the room when we need them?

We’re Raving about the Paving Motoring on the East Side, despite the beauty and history of our streets and byways, isn’t always for the faint-hearted. All summer driving around the East Side has often been a mazelike challenge as the installation of new utility pipes adds an unpredictability to even the shortest jaunt. Brown, of course, does much of its roadwork during the summer, as they should, given the three-month hiatus of most of their students. Also under attack has been our beloved Blackstone Boulevard. Much of it is undoubtedly due to the addition of bike lanes to the roadway, which has left the remaining traffic lane the recipient of significant additional wear and tear. Still, the repaving effort is very much appreciated, and rather than debate whether the traffic lane itself is still too narrow, we’re happy there at least this time there was no talk of adding speed bumps.

Wayland Square Landmark Closes To long time East Siders, the closing of Dorothy Williams is just one more example of the

kreatelier.com 18

East Side Monthly • September 2019

inevitability of changes at what had always been one of the East Side’s most sought upscale retail areas. Whether its closure was due to ever-increasing rents on the street, the desire of the landlord to attract national tenants to insure rent stability, the much hated parking meters, or just internal management issues, we hate to see one of the symbols of the old Wayland Square succumb. But things evolve and we sure so, too, will the Square.

Take Time for the Times Perhaps no one is more at the epicenter of the attacks on both the credibility and financial visibility of news industry than A.G. Sulzberger. The current CEO of the New York Times, the 38-year-old publisher of the paper will be delivering the annual Ogden Lecture at Brown University on September 23. Appropriately, Providence has been particularly important to his journalistic career. After graduating from Brown in 2004, Sulzberger’s first job was as an intern for the Providence Journal from 2004 to 2006 in their Wakefield office. He was named the publisher of the Times on January 1, 2018, becoming the sixth generation of the Ochs-Sulzberger family to serve in that role. His lecture is called Free Press in Peril: The Growing Threats to Journalism Around the World. Nothing more important than that, say we, though we admit we have a rooting interest in the subject.

Whoa Whoa on Gano The unexpected news that the Department of Transportation is considering the permanent close of the westbound Gano Street exit of I-195 and replacing it with a new entrance way on the opposite side going eastward certainly has gotten our attention. While we don’t have enough info yet to weigh in on the subject, we just want to remind the DOT that the good folks in Fox Point have been kicked around like a football as traffic engineering figures and reconfigures traffic plans. The citizens of the area’s input is not seriously sought after. Even when their opinion is solicited, it is often gnored. A decision of this magnitude is too important to screw up. And the public, be it Brown, commercial interests, or residents, all must be involved as early as possible in a discussion of the project.

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$229,000 401.214.1524

News & Culture Rhody Gem

The Map Center Cartography We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is: The Map Center sells traditional paper maps and atlases, including rare and large-scale editions.

Photography by Robert Isenberg

Where to find it: Enter the The Mills building on Pawtucket Avenue – through double doors decorated with large maps and posters – and follow the corridor to the left.

What makes it a Rhody Gem? The Map Center was a North Main Street fixture for more than half a century. Since 1981, Andrew Nosal has operated the store, and he won’t let GPS squander his map-selling savvy. You can still visit Andrew at his new-ish Pawtucket location and browse his still-astonishing collection of specialty, antique, and regional maps. Most of The Map Center’s stock is vended online, but Andrew does get visitors. Bonus: try to find him without using your phone.

The Map Center

545 Pawtucket Avenue, Suite a114 888-568-6277 MapCenter.com

To submit your Rhody Gem, please email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com

The best part of going to School One?

Being yourself.

BACK to SCHOOL

SCHOOL ONE is a small, progressive high school on the East Side of Providence. Our hallmarks: a robust arts program; a creative curriculum; an inclusive and vibrant community; and a great track record with college and art school admissions. Open Campus: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 220 University Ave., Providence, RI 02906 (401) 331-2497 | school-one.org

CREATIVE EDUCATION the Wolf School

Think differently|Learn differently

Learn about Forest Fridays for N-K, Cityside for Gr. 8 and the NuVuX Innovation Studio for Upper School

K-8 Special Education School Fall Open House - October 20th Learn more at thewolfschool.org 22

East Side Monthly • September 2019

NURSERY – GRADE 12 COED INDEPENDENT

With two campuses — city and rural — in Providence, RI and Seekonk, MA

Annual Open House Saturday, October 26 9 AM –NOON 216 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 401.421.8100 wheelerschool.org

community support + individual strength

instill resilience

Learn to Play Squash in Providence at Nicol Squash Club Clinics for all ages and abilities Life lessons. St. Andrew’s gives students the latitude to take wise risks and learn from honest mistakes.

OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 19 1:00pm www.standrews-ri.org

Fall session begins September 16th Join us for our Junior Open House Events September 6th and 13th, 3:45-5pm

Nicolsquashclub.com for complete details and to register info@nicolsquashclub.com • 401-831-7350 ext: 764

grades 6-12 • boarding and day

more than a school, a place of purpose

2020-21 Admission Applications Available OCTOBER 1 Enrolling for Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 Open House

Saturday, November 2nd, 9am

Nursery through eighth grade East Providence • gordonschool.org

“. . . absolutely the best thing that has happened to our family.” —Sarah, Croft Mom www.thecroftschool.org

East Side Monthly • September 2019 23

BACK to SCHOOL

Jump Start: 4-8 yr olds Rising Stars: Beginners - one year of experience Junior Performance/Tournament Players

To dare greatness, to manage challenges, and to become a stakeholder in their own successes.

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OUR AQUATIC CENTER

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IS FILLED WITH

Join us for Moses Brown’s annual Open House and Homecoming Extravaganza! A fun fall festival of performances, classroom demos, and community events, come and see Quaker values in action. Tour our historic campus, Robotics lab, and state-of-the-art Woodman Family Community and Performance Arts Center. rsvp today:

mosesbrown.org/admission

Oct. 19, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

MOSES BROWN SCHOOL

Providence, RI Mosesbrown.org Nursery-Grade 12, Co-Ed 24

East Side Monthly • September 2019

See how a Quaker education can make a difference.

SWIM LESSONS: Pods Swimming teaches our students more than just swimming-- we teach our students a foundation for life. Our curriculum, teacher training, and evaluation system are all designed to provide a total “aquatic education.” BIRTHDAY PARTIES: Celebrate your child with a pool party! AQUA AEROBICS: Jump right into our aqua classes and build cardiovascular fitness and strength. Tone and sculpt your body with no impact to your joints. LAP SWIM : Swimming is a great way to stay fit! We offer year-round lap swimming throughout the morning and evening. We have all your swimming needs covered. 111 Commercial Way, East Providence, RI 02914 401.337.5678 | www.podsswimming.com

News & Culture Neighborhood News

Neighborhood News is a space that East Side Monthly makes available to community organizations free of charge. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of this publication.

In mid-summer 2019, the RI Department of Transportation announced tentative plans to initiate a second roadway project near lower Gano Street.

Photo courtesy of Fox Point Neighborhood Association

College Hill Neighborhood Association At this month’s meeting, we heard from Attorney John Garrahy, who represents 150 Lloyd, LLC, the owner of 150 Lloyd Avenue. Garrahy spoke about a plan for 150 Lloyd Avenue which involves a variance, permitting the use of the property as a threeunit, residential dwelling, and the leasing of those units – if the variance is permitted – to a total of 10 tenants. Garrahy also answered questions from neighborhood residents, many of whom expressed uncertainty as to how such conditions regarding the number of occupants could be enforced. 150 Lloyd Avenue, which is located in an R-1 Residential District, was, as of the date of this month’s meeting, subject to a variance which Garrahy said allows it to be used for two doctor’s offices, as well as two residential units. In addition, we received an update from City Councilwoman Helen Anthony as to the now-settled debate over Providence’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget. The Councilwoman confirmed that the Budget includes a 40 percent homestead exemption, rather than a graduated exemption, and that real property in Providence will be taxed at a rate of $24.56 per 1,000 square feet. Finally, Attorney Michael Khoury spoke about the opening of a new smoke shop on Thayer Street. The owners of the shop operate City Smoke in Boston and plan to sell tobacco and related paraphernalia in Providence. Smoking in the shop will not be allowed. CHNA welcomes all residents of College Hill to join our efforts to protect the neighborhood. For more information about joining and supporting CHNA and meeting your neighbors, contact: CHNA, PO Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906; visit www. CHNAProvidence.org; or email CHNA@ CHNAProvidence.org. –Jared Sugerman

Fox Point Neighborhood Association Further Gains on Gano? Residents Learn of Possible Second Construction Project By Amy Mendillo As East Side neighbors and daily commuters are likely well aware, the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has performed construction work since the spring of this year to upgrade the roadways, sidewalks, and bike path at lower Gano Street near the entrance to India Point Park. While FPNA and other stakeholders participated in years-long discussions with RIDOT to shape those plans prior to breaking ground, we were surprised to learn of a potential new project on the Washington Bridge – located just above lower Gano Street – that would have considerable impact on traffic patterns in the area. RIDOT announced in mid-July that it had applied for a $25-million federal grant to rehabilitate the northern span of the bridge (which contains 195 westbound) in order

to reduce congestion and, “provide access improvements” on either side of the bridge. Under the “Washington Bridge Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Project,” the Gano Street off-ramp, which has been temporarily closed to accommodate the first project, will close permanently and ultimately be reconfigured into an on-ramp. (The current Gano Street onramp, now located on a steep slope just north of the Washington Bridge, will eventually be demolished.) According to the grant proposal, RIDOT also plans to add an off-ramp from 195 to Waterfront Drive in East Providence and to re-stripe the lanes on 195 westbound in order to maintain four lanes of highway traffic. While FPNA was surprised to learn of these possible plans, we welcome any potential repairs to structural elements of the bridge. We also hope that in reconfiguring the highway ramps, RIDOT will improve traffic flow and safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians at this critical gateway to the East Side and to India Point Park.

East Side Monthly • September 2019 25

Creative financial plans designed with, and around, you. Edward Pontarelli Jr., CRPC® Financial Advisor Managing Director Beacon Point Wealth Advisors A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 401.824.2532 1 Citizens Plaza, Ste 610 Providence, RI 02903 ed.pontarelli@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/team/ beacon-point-wealth-advisors

Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc.

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

News & Culture Neighborhood News

FPNA September Meeting Please join us on Monday, September 9 at 7pm in the Library/Community Room of the Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, 455 Wickenden Street. See our website, FPNA.net, for agenda and directions. All are welcome.

a good deal should save the date! We’ll create a map that folks can follow from location to location and enjoy the day bargain hunting and getting to know neighbors. Check our website, Facebook page, or our summer print newsletter for more details!

About FPNA The Fox Point Neighborhood Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Fox Point and protecting its historic integrity and resources. FPNA speaks out on neighborhood issues and builds community through local events. Please sign up for our mailing list and join us at a monthly meeting!

2019 Property Tax Saga We’ve compiled many resources and articles regarding the proposed city property tax changes that arose and caused some controversy in the early summer, as well as the outcomes and expectations for next year. Neighbors can get up to date on the latest at: SummitNeighbors. org/2019-Property-Tax-Proposals

SUMMIT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Neighborhood-wide Yard Sale SNA will be running our annual neighborhood-wide fall yard sale on Sunday, September 22! Folks interested in selling in front of their homes or at a central location on Hope Street can sign up, and of course, those interested in discovering

Residents Invited to Connect with Us Got a neighborhood issue, problem, or idea you’d like to discuss? We’re here to help. We meet at 7pm on the third Monday of every month in the dining room at Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Avenue. The sessions are open and neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend! You can also stay in touch with us on Facebook via the “Summit Neighborhood Association” page, our website

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DINNER Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pm Fri-Sat: 4pm-11pm Sunday: 4pm-9pm

Sunday Brunch 10am-2pm

771 Hope Street, Providence • 331-4100 26

East Side Monthly • September 2019

Photo courtesy of Mount Hope Neighborhood Association

The garden workshop this July given by URI Research Assistant Heather Faubert in Mount Hope

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New Website, Memberships, and Volunteer Writers We have a new website! Check it out at SummitNeighbors.org. As always, we welcome new members who are interested in supporting our neighborhood events, community projects, candidate forums, and advocacy. Memberships are affordable – starting at just $15 per year – and easier than ever to sign up for digitally or by mail. Additionally, SNA is always seeking local content for our long-running neighborhood newsletter, distributed by our volunteers to over 4,000 households. Have something to say about an event, a new business, or any topic that would resonate with the neighborhood? Please contact us for more information! Summit Neighborhood Association, PO Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940, 401-400-0986 SummitNeighbors.org, SNAProv@gmail.com

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!

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at SummitNeighbors.org, on Instagram and Twitter @SNAProv, or by phone at 401-400-0986.

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Wayland Square Neighborhood Association The Wayland Square Neighborhood Association meets every second Wednesday evening of the month. Location changes depending on the meeting topic, so please check our Facebook page for exact times/locations. WSNA organizes candidates nights, environmental events, social outings, local links and maintains regular communication with all residents, merchants and elected officials. With all the new restaurants, retail, residences and services, Wayland Square has never been better or busier! Looking forward to meeting you at our meetings in Wayland Square! -Katherine Touafek

MOUNT HOPE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION The Sharing Garden in Billy Taylor Park has open hours on Saturdays from 12-3pm, Tuesday and Thursday 4-7pm. Garden workshops will be held on Saturdays September

East Side Monthly • September 2019 27

Chez Pascal & The Wurst Kitchen LITTLE WURST MARKETPLACE NEW MENU OUTDOOR SEATING ENJOY THE SUNSHINE IN OUR NEW SPACE!

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News & Culture Neighborhood News

7 and 21. Both are titled Grow Herbs and Making Medicinal Balms and start at 1pm. We will have our final Community Harvest Meal on Saturday September 14. Bring food to share if you can, especially but not exclusively from your garden! Come enjoy what our Teen Gardener and Culinary4Change Program have to contribute. In addition to the Harvest Meal, three murals that were worked on over the summer will be unveiled. This will be accompanied by drummers and storytellers sharing histories of the community. On another note, beginning September 2019, the Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association WIC Program has a slight change in office hours. We are still here 20 hours a week to serve pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding moms, and babies/children up to their fifth birthday. The new hours are Tuesdays 11am-3pm, Thursdays 1-7pm, Fridays 9am-3pm, Saturday 9am-1pm. Immediate appointments available, call 401-521-8830. As always all are welcome to the MHNA board, which are held on the third Thursday

at 6pm. This month it will be held on September 19. The Housing Coalition meeting is on the second Thursday, which will be on September 12 at 5pm. The Mount Hope Food Security and the Mt Hope Dialogues for Action (MHDA) meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month and 5pm and 6pm respectively, September 26. Please call to confirm, 401-521-8830.

Blackstone Parks Conservancy Secrets of the Woodland, by Jane Peterson Walking in Blackstone Park beside the Seekonk River, an especially good idea during these hot days, one’s mind might wander back over the millennia when Native American civilization prevailed. We know little about those times, for few traces have been found in the disturbed land underlying the park – though we are told that Angell Street was formerly Wampanoag Trail. But such a reverie might inspire us to think about ways to connect to this environment knowledgeably, as the original inhabitants did, with a

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Photography by Mike Braca

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Delicious Mediterranean Inspired Cuisine deeper understanding of the plants and animals around us. Or imagine strolling in the 1700s at the edge of Moses Brown’s country estate and watching out for the cows grazing there. Move into the 1800s and you might be on horseback or in a carriage out for a Sunday ride beside the ravine that in 1866 would become the core of Blackstone Park. By the 1850s Providence residents were already feeling the need to escape urban stresses, and the ravine was an idyllic refuge of ferns and flowers. Whether you chat with a friend or listen to music or daydream on such a walk, you will benefit your health just by being there. Being in the woods lowers our blood glucose, blood pressure, and stress hormones. Or consider attending two new workshops run by local artists: “Landscape Stories” and “I Felt What I Saw,” listed below. There you will be encouraged to walk slowly, to look, see, and experience the woods in ways new to you. The writing or photographs that emerge from these workshops will be collected and exhibited later at Rochambeau Library.

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Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier of Crimetown

East Side Monthly â&#x20AC;˘ September 2019

Photography by Mike Braca

Obviously, Buddy Cianci should star in a stage play. Why not? The man did everything else. He spent 21 years in office. He prosecuted gangsters. He hosted his own radio show. He sold marinara sauce. He attended Little League games. He kept multiple mistresses. He sometimes flew around in a helicopter. He rose to unprecedented heights of political power; he was convicted of racketeering; he spent more than four years in “a federally funded gated community.” And on and on. But you know all this – whether you live on the East Side or in Honolulu – because the posthumous Buddy Cianci is even more famous than the living Buddy Cianci. Crimetown, which is basically just a chronicle of Cianci’s breakneck life, has become one of the most successful podcasts of all time. David Mamet, the iconic tough-guy dramatist, allegedly wrote a screenplay about him. And even if you skip Cianci’s own autobiography, Politics and Pasta, you may enjoy Mike Stanton’s 2003 bestseller, The Prince of Providence: The True Story of Buddy Cianci, America’s Most Notorious Mayor, Some Wiseguys, and the Feds. This is the book that Trinity Repertory

Theatre now adapted for stage, minus the cumbersome subtitle. This is the world premiere that Rhode Islanders have been clamoring for. This is the production that the Boston Globe dubbed “the new Hamilton.” By the time you read these words, the entire run may be sold out. “It’s such a fascinating, captivating story,” says Tyler Dobrowsky, associate artistic director at Trinity Rep. “It’s almost Shakespearean.” “He was, and is, a very divisive figure,” says Taibi Magar, the show’s director. Like a mix of Hamlet and Lear, Cianci made choices that touched on bigger themes. “I hope the audience walks away pondering the larger questions underneath his story: What made him that way? Was he always that way, or is the system engineered for corruption? How did the leading prosecutor of corruption – in his time – become (arguably) the most corrupt politician we have ever had? Also, why did this story happen in Providence? What is the story of this city?” A play about Cianci might have been produced anytime in the past few years, but Trinity had to wait for the film rights to

expire, because they were bundled with the theatrical rights. Indeed, Stanton has reportedly entertained several dramatic adaptations of his book, but none of them ever panned out. Once the rights ran out in 2016, the Trinity staff saw their chance. With Stanton’s blessing, Trinity could bring that story to life, beneath spotlights, in the heart of Cianci’s hometown. But how do you solve a problem like Vincent Cianci, Jr.? How do you turn such an epic life into a play? His career is outsized, too colorful to summarize in two hours. What moments do you pick? How do you paint such a controversial figure, such a prismatic personality? Do you include his military service? Do you mention his last-minute engagement to a model half his age? How much time do you dedicate to the assault charges, and how much to the racketeering trial? Couldn’t his relationship with former mayor Joseph Paolino, both combative and fraternal, become its own miniseries? How do you put an entire urban facelift – the downtown mall and rerouted rivers that Cianci championed – on a single stage, if at all?

Photography by Mike Braca

The answer: very carefully. The first step is to hire a confident playwright. George Brant has penned dozens of scripts, and his last contribution to Trinity, Into the Breeches!, was also a historical drama. Before he settled in New York, Brant lived for a decade in Providence, and he knows the city intimately. Next, you build a story around Cianci’s life, showing major events in chronological order. The first act follows his first term in office, concluding with the brutal interrogation of Raymond DeLeo – by far his most infamous chapter. In the second act, we see Cianci’s return to power, the FBI investigation that brought him down, and the prosecution that (sort of) ended his political career. But you have to finesse the details. At least one character is a composite of two real-life people, and much of the dialogue is imagined. Unlike, say, The Laramie Project, The Prince of Providence is not documentary

in nature; the play recreates real people, events, and one liners as dramatic scenes. Despite all the broadcasts, depositions, and hidden cameras, there’s a lot of history that no one recorded, and a playwright like Brant needs to connect the dots on his own. Finally, you anchor the production in a single place. The scenes unfold in several locations: in the mayor’s residence, in a radio booth, in a courthouse, even in a moving car. Yet the main set, designed by Sara Brown, found its inspiration in the Alderman Room, one of the chambers in City Hall. Here, the walls are adorned with portraits of past Providence mayors – perhaps symbolizing the legacy of office. Using “lights and other stage tricks,” the audience will be whisked from one place to the next, but the background is always the stately home of City government. A year ago, Brant brought his script to

Trinity to be read aloud. This kind of play is tricky; its story is based on the exploits of an actual person, and it covers 30 years of local events. But the read-through was a smash. The Trinity staff loved it. “He’s an excellent, excellent writer who’s familiar with Providence,” says Dobrowsky. “Everyone in the room was so impressed with how George was able to tell the story. Everyone was like, ‘This is going to be amazing.’” Retelling these events isn’t easy, but the hardest part about the Cianci story is telling it the right way. Once he was released from prison, the former mayor was fairly open – even good-humored – about his foibles in office. Yet people still love him. To this day, supporters insist that the ends justified the means. Cianci dedicated his life to lifting Providence out of the doldrums. Love him or hate him, there is no way to imagine our capital without his influence.

As Judge Ernest Torres put it, at the end of the Operation Plunder Dome trial: “There appear to be two very different Buddy Ciancis. The first is a skilled and charismatic political figure, probably one of the most talented politicians Rhode Island has ever seen. [The other] presided over an administration that is rife with corruption at all levels.” Trinity has handled delicate topics before: Boots on the Ground told the story of Iraqi war veterans from Rhode Island; the script was based on actual interviews. The America Too series is similarly based on real conversations, dramatizing up-to-the-minute social issues like DACA, race relations, and police conduct. Yet Cianci is a special case. The common refrain is, “Everybody has a Buddy story.” Magar only spent three years in Providence, while a student at Brown, but even she has a story. “The only time I ever encountered him was at The Columbus Day Parade in 2014, as he was campaigning for the election that year,”

Magar recalls. “I remember seeing a general hubbub about half a mile down Atwells, and then slowly a crowd gathered around and behind him. It was very cinematic. I remember mostly just finding him mysterious, how could someone be so loved and so hated?” Thanks to Crimetown, millions of people around the world know the intricacies of Cianci’s life, that strange imbalance. From a theatrical standpoint, Brant has tried to humanize Cianci, to explore his many virtues and vices. “We’re not necessarily saying Buddy was a really good guy, but we’re not condemning him, either,” says Dobrowsky. “He was a pugnacious fighter, but also a charismatic person. There are people who consider him a criminal, but also really like him.” The Trinity staff is expecting a vocal response. The story is close to local hearts – and lest we forget, Cianci passed away only three years ago. As with all Trinity productions, the theater will host a semi-formal talk, Context

and Conversation, before each show. Hosted by Christina Bevilacqua, Trinity’s “conversationalist in residence,” the series gives any ticket holder the chance to ask questions and hear more about the play. There’s only one downside to producing this play in 2019: Cianci himself isn’t around to see it. If you know the man, you can just picture him socializing in the lobby. You can imagine him waving from his seat on opening night, absorbing applause. What would he think of Scott Aielo, the New York-based actor who will portray him onstage? What would he say of Rebecca Gibel, the actress playing his wife Sheila? The man loved attention, and he knew himself well. When the curtain fell, what zinger would he have offered? “I have been called many things in my career,” Cianci once wrote. “I’ve been ‘America’s most innovative mayor,’ a ‘colorful character,’ and a convicted felon. But no one has ever called me shy.”

An empty Trinity Rep stage – the calm before the Cianci storm

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LIFE & STYLE Home | Education

At Home on the East Side

The Shop Owner’s House

A peek inside the Wayland Square home of ph Factor’s Priya Himatsingka By Elyse Major

Tip: Use large potted plants to soften hard lines and fill rooms with natural color

Priya Himatsingka

appreciates the serenity of white walls. Inside ph Factor, her gift and accessories shop on Hope Street, white walls create a gallery-like vibe and colorful wares are displayed along walls on shelves and hooks, resulting in a narrow space that feels twice its width. This anything-but-stark version of minimalism carries over to Priya’s private home as well. In the Wayland Square Greek Revival she shares with Photography by Grace Lentini

her children, white walls are the perfect foil for motifs, textures, and orderly assemblages. “All my walls are white,” says Priya. “I prefer to introduce color and pattern through art and objects.” Born in Calcutta, India, from a family of textile designers, Priya moved to Providence from New York City in the late ‘90s to attend RISD. Soon after graduating with a degree in Jewelry & Metalsmithing, she founded her Himatsingka jewelry Want your home featured in East Side Monthly? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

Life & Style Home

studio and line. “At heart, I’m a big-city person. However, I’ve lived in Providence for 22 years and absolutely love it here,” says Priya. “The people in Rhode Island are warm and friendly. RISD and Brown offer so much to the cultural landscape of the city. And the restaurants here are amazing.” Describing her style as “fairly minimal; simple, uncomplicated, and fresh,” Priya generally begins decorating with white walls and wooden floors. “Any color inside the house typically comes from objects – I can never

seem to commit to brightly colored walls or upholstery.” she says. Over years of travel and recent buying trips for the store, Priya has amassed an interesting array of art and articles – everything from antiques to patinated machine parts to street kitsch – which infuse streamline spaces with personality. Oddly enough, Priya’s house was the first of over 30 properties she toured with a realtor. Initially out of her range, the price eventually dropped and she was able to make the purchase. “I absolutely love the blueprint of

the house – it feels so bright and spacious. The layout is open and every room has big windows,” says Priya, who enjoys cooking and entertaining. “I particularly like the eat-in kitchen with its French windows overlooking the back deck.” “Today, I’m a busybody,” Priya says with a laugh. “I split time between my home, the store, and the jewelry studio. Thankfully, all three are within a two-mile radius so I rarely have to drive far. In other words: I’m now a bona fide Rhode Islander.”

GET RHODY STYLE Retail or residential, Priya Himatsingka takes a simple approach to decorating. Take these cues to achieve her crisp yet layered look in your home.

STORAGE HACKS Open cabinetry, floating shelves, and rows of hooks are great ways to make wall space double as storage. LIGHTEN UP Make even small areas appear larger with white walls, minimal window treatments, and plenty of natural light.

ON DISPLAY Arrange everyday items like books, stacks of magazines, even shoes, in a such a way that they function as decorative accents when not in use. PLANT CITY Use potted plants of all sizes to add organic shapes and colors to surfaces and corners.

East Side Monthly • September 2019

Photography by Grace Lentini

HOME & MORE Priya lists many of her retail neighbors (ph Factor, 780 Hope St.) as favorite small businesses, including Blooming Blossoms, Evolve, Kreatelier, and Seven Stars. “I also love Simple Pleasures and RISD Works,” she says.

Life & Style Education

Earning Credit

A program incentivizes local students to remodel and repair low-income Providence homes By Michael Gianfrancesco

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Since 2003,

the Center for Dynamic Learning (CDL) has existed to provide students the opportunity to gain practical skills through real life experiences. Over the past 15+ years, the organization has followed a simple motto: “Teach beyond the classroom and they’ll reach beyond the classroom.” Thus far, this has served them and kids in Rhode Island quite well. The Center’s Teen Apprenticeship Program (TAP), which launched just this past summer and has a fall/winter session that runs from mid September to December, serves 60 students ages 14-18. The participants are part

of a workforce that is remodeling six to ten low-income homes for families who cannot afford necessary upgrades due to financial constraints. Folks in need get a leg-up, and the students get valuable, marketable skills. According to Kevin Cunha, CEO and principal engineer, the twofold nature of TAP is what makes it so important, and not just to the beneficiaries and the participants, but to the entire state by inspiring and creating more future trade professionals for the region. “TAP students can learn project planning, engineering, manufacturing, and construction so that they are absolutely

Photo courtesy of Center of Dynamic Learning

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prepared for careers in STEAMM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and manufacturing)-based fields which are in high demand in Rhode Island and abroad,” he says. While the CDL did get some grant funding from the Governor’s Workforce Board, Kevin says that they are still short on both fiscal and raw materials and are asking for help in order to ensure that they reach their goal of renovating at least five homes on the south side of Providence before the end of the year. Kevin estimates that the CDL needs to raise $30,000 to cover materials for both the summer and fall/ winter sessions. They are also accepting materials from area businesses to help with their efforts. “We are hoping that local hardware stores, paint shops, etc. will help pay it forward and provide us with the materials that the grant could not cover, such as landscaping and building materials,” he says. Students who participate in the program not only earn college credits for Engineering, Manufacturing, and Technology from Roger Williams University (RWU), but also a stipend of $450-$600 depending on their experience within the program. CDL is not part of RWU; they have a memorandum of understanding for an endorsement and accreditation for their five STEAMM programs. In addition to AP participants earning money, college credits, OSHA 10/CPR/First Aid/AED certification, and learning skills that they can take to the marketplace in the future, Kevin says that there is a sense of satisfaction that comes with providing a valuable service for those in need. “The CDL staff and our students believe that everyone should have a wonderful home to return to after a long day of work or school,” he says, adding, “a home to be proud of.” More information about the Center for Dynamic Learning along with donation information can be found at CDLRI.org.

PAINT

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East Side Monthly • September 2019 45

“A necessary and great American epic for our time” –LA Times

Photo: Little Fang Photography

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FOOD & DRINK Restaurant and Food | Restaurant Guide | Calendar of Events

Flavor of the Month

Fancy a Fika?

Cafe Choklad provides a Swedish twist on an ordinary coffee break

Photo courtesy of Cafe Choklad

By Olivia Hewitt

Whilst strolling around College Hill, you’ve most likely seen Cafe Choklad. Since its opening in 2004, the Swedish-inspired cafe is a little slice of Scandinavia plopped down in the middle of the state’s capital. Made evident by its name, meaning “chocolate” (if you couldn’t have guessed), the cafe brings Swedish culture and delicacies to Providence, giving us the opportunity to take a break, enjoy a coffee, and savor some homemade treats.

Anyone who has visited Cafe Choklad and knows Swedish culture could say that it is the perfect spot for a fika, the essential coffee break that every Swede has (at least once) on a daily basis; it’s a time to slow down, enjoy a snack, and catch up with friends. Because of how ingrained it is in Swedish culture, fika is more than an impromptu gathering over coffee and a snack – it’s a ritual, a social institution, a way to re-energize. If you don’t like coffee, Cafe

Choklad offers other beverages such as tea and soda, and you can’t walk in there without gazing at the array of homemade pastries and ordering something. On the seasonal menu are Swedish treats like apple cake and ambrosia cake made with orange and rum. With its cozy atmosphere and delicious treats, Cafe Choklad provides the East Side with an ideal spot to meet friends, take a fika, and satisfy a sweet tooth. 2 Thomas Street, CafeChoklad.RestaurantWebExpert.com

East Side Monthly • September 2019 47

DISCOVER & TRY Pain & Anxiety Relieving

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

of Ken’s Ramen, the tiny noodle shop with the unmarked awning on Washington Street, a new restaurant quickly took its place. Tori Tomo, a Washington Street newcomer, serves ramen, donburi, and tapas. The joint made its debut in the beginning of June this year. The brainchild of X Premwat and Kazu Kondo (Wara Wara), the interior of Tori Tomo is striking upon first glance: one wall is emblazoned with a gray-and-red mural, and matching red, funky chairs line the tables. The exposed wood beams give off a rural Japanese Izakaya vibe to counterbalance the sleekness of the rest of the decor. Owner X says that he and his partner were looking for a smaller restaurant to expand their business, and when Ken’s left the space on Washington Street, it was a no-brainer. With the new location, the restaurateur hopes to attract a different clientele than Wara Wara – tourists, college students, and office workers. Peruse the menu and you’ll find that unlike its sister restaurant Wara Wara, Tori

Tomo offers Providence diners a somewhat truncated, slightly different assortment of East Asian cuisine. Doburi, a common Japanese rice bowl dish, is available to customers with ingredients like thinly sliced sirloin steak, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and brown butter. Other combinations are served to satisfy the non-meat eaters of the city, presenting us with sauteed broccoli, corn, and sweet soy Donburi. But, the real star of the Tori Tomo show is the ramen. After all, who can resist those chewy yellow noodles slowly bathing in a creamy broth? I’d like to be on a wonton raft in that bowl of soup, slowly floating by the globules of chicken and pork fat, maybe using a bamboo shoot or two as an oar. At the new noodle shop, different varieties of meat and vegetarian ramen are on the menu, and you can add extra toppings for a small price if you wish. So the next time you’re in the downtown area, check out this new spot and enjoy a nice bowl of noodles. 69 Washington Street, ToriTomoPVD.com.

Photo courtesy of Tori Tomo

@SpectrumIndia

FAMILY FAVORITE The New York Times

journalist that recently declared the death of the diner and diner culture clearly hasn’t spent time in Rhode Island. In 1872, enterprising businessman Walter Scott parked his horse-drawn lunch cart in front of The Providence Journal, giving birth to a different kind of eatery: the diner. So, it’s fitting that Rhode Islanders cherish these local spots. Case in point: The Modern Diner. The only J.B. Judkins Co.’s Sterling Streamliner still in operation, it’s entered into the National Register of Historic Places. After a move in 1986, the diner has been feeding hungry locals ever since. On a recent Saturday morning, a line of people waits for tables while employees bustle between the original 1940s dining car and its annex. “People like diners,” says Nick, surveying the crowd. “The food trucks? They specialize in one thing, but they’re diners.” Counter to the mobile food truck trend, Nick says its the familiar faces that make the Modern Diner special. He points to a woman behind the tiny bar. “That’s Susan. She’s worked here for 20 years. In this room, the same people come and sit on the same stools. If they find someone else sitting on their stools, they get mad.” “We have people who have been coming in for 30 years,” adds Nick’s sister and co-owner Stacey Aguiar. “We definitely have a more diverse community now. Our menu has adapted so that we can give them their cultural favorites.” Nick’s Johnson & Wales training is evident in staples like eggs, pancakes, and waffles. In 2015, The Food Network christened his Custard French Toast creation – a happy accident involving vanilla pudding – the number one diner dish in the country, bringing the family-owned eatery national attention. But for both Nick and Stacey, their regular customers are at the heart of their success. “I was young when we first started this. We were 17 or 18 in the beginning,” says Stacey. “Our sense of family is ingrained in this community. We grew up here; we’re growing old here.” 364 East Avenue, ModernDinerRI.com. -Karen Greco

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East Side Monthly • September 2019 49

THE TOAST OF THE TOWN The anatomy of the dish that put Sydney on the map

By Lauren Vella

d o l o re c i t l Mu irloom He toes To m a

Photography by Nick DelGiudice

Sydney’s avocado toast is the kind of food that makes you do a double take and say, “I want that!” It’s ‘grammable, it’s gourmet, it’s a textural symphony. Seriously, one bite and you’ll get everything you wanted out of a dish in a mouthful – the tang of the tomato and feta, the silky-smooth creaminess of mashed avocado, and the loud crunch of the crusty bread that holds it all together. It’s one thing to enjoy this creation, it’s another to know the secret behind Sydney’s famous open-faced sandwich. We got some insider info on what actually makes this avocado toast so delectable, and we’re here to share it with you. Locations in Providence, Garden City, and Portsmouth. SydneyPVD.com

Black an ii Hawa S alt Sea

M i c ro s G re e n

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Feta Cheese Radish

Avocado With lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, & pepper

Drizzled with EVOO

White Country Bread

Beet PureĂŠ

AN-DID

ARTWORK Rhody craft beer cans provide a ready canvas for local brewers and graphic designers

By Robert Isenberg The first beer can was sealed and sold in 1935. The originals looked like soup cans, and the art was simple: a few colors, an inviting font, and a company logo, which tended to look like a medieval coat-of-arms. Microbreweries have changed all that. Brewers routinely invent wacky names, often based on personal references or unknowable inside jokes. The beer can becomes a ready canvas for graphic designers, and the artwork can be as colorful and surreal as the imagination permits. When a can is first laid out, the image looks flat, like an unfurled flag. To really appreciate the aesthetic expertise that goes into them, here’s a glimpse at some Rhode Island-based artwork – and the illustrators who dreamed them up.

REVIVAL BREWING COMPANY Beer: Clever Girl Paloma-Style Summer Ale Artist: A.J. Paglia

Background: “Clever Girl is a shoutout to Jurassic Park, one of our favorites, but science tells us now that velociraptors were much more colorful than they were in the film. Sean [Larkin, founder and brewmaster] wanted to do a Revival spin on mezcal paloma cocktail for summer time, and the two ideas ran together to make a great addition to our brew family.”

GREY SAIL BREWERY Beer: Flying Horse Blonde Ale Artist: Kyle Reichman

Background: “The Flying Horse Blonde Ale label was created to mark the 350th anniversary of the town of Westerly. After doing some research we decided to use the carousel as the theme for the can as it’s one of the more notable landmarks of Westerly [Watch Hill], plus it’s one of the oldest in the country. We were able to incorporate a lot of the features of the horse and saddle as well as the detail in the trim that lines the top of the carousel. The town of Westerly provided the 350th graphic that is being used on their marketing material. The beer will be served at multiple events planned to celebrate the anniversary.”

FOOLPROOF BREWING COMPANY Beer: La Ferme Urbaine Farmhouse Ale Artist: Elizabeth Atlas Weisberg Chang

Background: “The concept behind La Ferme Urbaine, which is French for ‘the urban farm,’ incorporates some of my favorite things to draw – nature and architecture. As a city dweller, drawing plants and landscapes is almost an escape from the excitement of urban life. I am constantly seeking out lush green patches of earth to illustrate! The scene for this project playfully incorporates texture, pattern, and color helps the consumer feel enveloped in a rich environment.”

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RESTAURANT GUIDE

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Key: B breakfast Br brunch L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

PROVIDENCE AREA 10 Prime Steak & Sushi Fashionable prime steakhouse with award-winning sushi. 55 Pine St, Providence, 453-2333. LD $$$

Sales | Leasing | Management

Caserta Pizzeria Casual kid-friendly pizza spot offering traditional Italian crisp-cut pizza and calzones. 121 Spruce St, Providence, 621-3818. LD $-$$ CAV Eclectic cuisine and art in a historic setting. 14 Imperial Place, Providence, 7519164. BrLD $$-$$$ Chapel Grille Gourmet food overlooking the Providence skyline. 3000 Chapel View Blvd, Cranston, 944-4900. BrLD $$$

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Character’s Cafe & Theatre Hybrid art space with all-day breakfast, coffee, and theaterinspired entrees. 82 Rolfe Sq, Cranston, 4909475. BL $ Don Jose Tequilas Restaurant Homestyle Mexican fare plus beer, wine, and cocktails in a colorful setting. 351 Atwells Ave, Providence, 454-8951. LD $-$$ Harry’s Bar & Burger Called the “Best Burger in America” by CNN. Over 50 craft beers. 121 N Main St, Providence, 228-7437; 301 Atwells Ave, 228-3336. LD $-$$

design • site plans • consulting installation • planting • hand pruning 401-742-1895 • robertalanmatthews.com

Haruki Japanese cuisine and a la carte selections with casual ambience. Locations in Cranston and Providence, HarukiSushi.com. LD $-$$ Joe Marzelli’s Old Canteen Italian Restaurant High-end Italian restaurant serving up specialty dishes and drinks. 120 Atwells Ave, Providence. 751-5544. LD $$$

Luxe Burger Bar Build Your Own Burger: You dream it, we build it! 5 Memorial Blvd, Providence, 621-5893. LD $ Parkside Rotisserie & Bar American bistro specializing in rotisserie meats. 76 South Main St, Providence, 331-0003. LD $-$$ Pizza J Fun, upbeat atmosphere with thin-crust pizza, pub fare, and gluten-free options. 967 Westminster St, Providence, 632-0555. LD $-$$ Red Stripe Casual French-American bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 437-6950; 455 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-2900. BrLD $$ Siena Impeccable Italian cuisine. Locations in Providence, East Greenwich, and Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$ Sydney Providence Australian-inspired cafe and coffee shop featuring breakfast and light lunch options. 400 Exchange St, Providence, 648-4994. BL $-$$ The Salted Slate An agri-driven American restaurant with global influences. 186 Wayland Ave, Providence, 270-3737. BrLD $$-$$$ Tortilla Flats Fresh Mexican, Cajun, and Southwestern fare, cocktails, and over 70 tequilas. 355 Hope St, Providence, 751-6777. LD $-$$ Twin Oaks Family restaurant serving an extensive selection of Italian and American staples. 100 Sabra St, Cranston, 781-9693. LD $-$$$

SOUTH COUNTY Julian’s A must-taste Providence staple celebrating more than 20 years. 318 Broadway, Providence, 861-1770. BBrLD $$ 224 Thayer Street Providence Under New Ownership Mention This Ad to

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

Luigi’s Restaurant & Gourmet Express Handmade Italian classics and prepared foods to go. 1457 Hartford Ave, Johnston, 455-0045. LD $$

Breachway Grill Classic New England fare, plus NY-style pizza. 1 Charlestown Beach Rd, Charlestown, 213-6615. LD $$ Champlin’s Seafood Dockside fresh seafood serving easy breezy cocktails. 256 Great Island Rd, Narragansett, 783-3152. LD $-$$

RESTAURANT GUIDE For full restaurant profiles, go to ProvidenceOnline.com

Coast Guard House A new American menu with a seafood emphasis and extensive wine list, open seven days a week. 40 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, 789-0700. BrLD $$$

Twin Willows Fresh seafood and water views in a family-friendly atmosphere. 865 Boston Neck Rd, Narragansett, 789-8153. LD $-$$

Colvitto’s Pizza & Bakery Pizza Calzones and baked goods made fresh daily. 91 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett, 783-8086. BrLD $

EAST BAY / NEWPORT

Eleven Forty Nine City sophistication in the suburbs. 1149 Division St, Warwick, 8841149. LD $$$

Aviary Creative, locally sourced menu featuring rotating craft beers and fromscratch cocktails. 2229 GAR Highway, Swansea, MA, 508-379-6007. BrLD $$

George’s of Galilee Fresh-caught seafood in an upscale pub atmosphere. 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd, Narragansett, 783-2306. LD $-$$

Blount Market & Kitchen Traditional New England seafood summer favorites offered year-round for dine-in and takeout. 406 Water St, Warren, 245-1800. LD $$

Mariner Grille Seafood, steaks, and pasta in a fun setting, with live entertainment. 40 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett, 284-3282. LD $$

Bluewater Bar and Grill Casual restaurant with modern seafood dishes, patio seating, and live music. 32 Barton Ave, Barrington, 247-0017. LD $$-$$$

Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana Authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza with exclusive ingredients imported from Naples. 60 S County Commons Way, South Kingstown, 783-2900. LD $-$$ Red Stripe Casual French-American bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 437-6950; 455 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-2900. BrLD $$

Chomp Upscale comfort food featuring award-winning burgers and sandwiches. 440 Child St, Warren, 289-2324. D $$ East Bay Oyster Bar Local seafood meets innovative preparation in a rustic setting. 308 County Rd, Barrington, 247-0303. LD $$

Siena Impeccable Italian cuisine. Locations in Providence, East Greenwich, and Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$

Ichigo Ichie Traditional Japanese cuisine, creative sushi, and hibachi. 5 Catamore Blvd, East Providence, 435-5511. LD $-$$$

Sophie’s Brewhouse Espresso drinks and sandwiches with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. 699 S County Trail, Exeter, 2954273. BL $$

KC’s Burger Bar Burgers, hot dogs, and sides enjoyed in a retro car-themed diner. 1379 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, MA. 508-557-1723. BLD $$

Tavern by the Sea Waterfront European/ American bistro. 16 West Main St, Wickford, 294-5771. LD $$

Tav Vino Waterfront dining with an Italian and seafood focus. 267 Water St, Warren, 245-0231. D $$

The Cove Traditional bar and grill serving burgers, sandwiches, and classic New England seafood favorites. 3963 Old Post Rd, Charlestown, 364-9222. LD $$

The Old Grist Mill Tavern Fine dining located over the Runnins River. 390 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, MA, 508-336-8460. LD $-$$$

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

CALENDAR music | performance | social happenings | galleries | sports

September 10 events you can’t miss this month

Photography by Brandon Harmon

Through September 10: Providence Unveiled: Stories from the Archives

Through September 10: It’s the final week to see Providence Unveiled: Stories from the Archives. The special exhibit features items from the nearly 200-year-old Athenaeum’s archives that illustrate the city’s past. 251 Benefit Street, ProvidenceAthenaeum.org

September 18-21: Fashionistas, it’s the week you’ve been waiting for: New England’s premier STYLEWEEK Northeast brings local, national, and international designers together on the Rhody runway. Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, StyleWeekNortheast.com

September 6-15: The Pawtucket Arts Festival reflects the city’s diverse communities and history through presentations in song, dance, film, theater, and visuals. It’s a celebration of the arts, Pawtucket style. Various locations, Pawtucket, PawtucketArtsFestival.org

September 7-8: The annual Rhode Island Seafood Festival is a can’t-miss if you’re a fan of good food, good music, good drinks, and great company. Indulge in the bounty of the sea while overlooking the water at India Point Park. 263 India Street, RISeafoodFest.com September 12-21: Ten days. Multiple events. One mission. Design Week Rhode Island showcases the innovation and economic impact of the design sector in the state through a series of curated events featuring RI talent. Various locations, DesignXRI.com

September 13-14: The poster says it all: Little State, Big Music. The Rhode Island Music & Arts Festival features local food, beverage, artists, and of course, tons of music, including The Felice Brothers, Kung Fu, and Bumpin Uglies. India Point Park, 201 India Street, LittleStateBigMusic.com

September 21: For the first time, the Rhode Island Heritage Day Festival will take place in Pawtucket, bringing back all the usual fanfare – multicultural fashion show, traditional music and dance, arts and crafts, kid’s area and face painting, and food trucks – to a new location. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket, Preservation.RI.gov

September 22-28: Flavor comes first during Pawtucket & Central Falls Restaurant Week, a seven-day celebration of all things food. Featuring American, Asian, Cape Verdean, Irish, Italian, Latin American, and Indian cuisine. Various locations, Pawtucket and Central Falls. RestaurantWeekPCF.com

September 27-April 19: Some of us might shudder at the thought of spiders...but spider silk? RISD Museum presents an exhibit entirely dedicated to the mystifying beauty of the spider web. The Art and Design of Spider Silk features shawls, menswear, and photography. 20 North Main Street, RISDMuseum.org

September 29-October 5: If you’re a fan of “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and “Come Monday”, you’ll be happy to hear a Jimmy Buffett-inspired musical is taking the stage at PPAC. Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville combines the songwriter’s famous tunes with a dose of comedy, resulting in a show that’ll “knock your flip flops off!” 220 Weybosset Street, PPACRI.org

East Side Monthly • September 2019 59

Calendar

MUSIC

PERFORMANCE

ARENA & CLUB COLUMBUS THEATRE September 6: Shana Falana. September 7: Mortified. September 10: Guerilla Toss. September 13: The Body with Assembly Of Light Choir, Lingua Ignota. September 19: Josiah Johnson, The Sea The Sea. September 20: River Whyless, The Dead Tongues. September 25: Moor Mother + Jerusalem In My Heart. September 27: Little Wings, Diane Cluck, Death Vessel. September 28: Juan Wauters. 270 Broadway, Providence. 621-9660, ColumbusTheatre.com

COMEDY CONNECTION September 5-7: Pete Correale. September 19: Comedy For Our Communities. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 438-8383, RIComedyConnection.com

arena & club | classical

FETE MUSIC HALL September 13: Providence Metal Fest. September 14: Nigel Richards. September 20: Pop Will Eat Itself. September 21: Jimmie’s Chicken Shack. September 27: Earshot. 103 Dike Street, Providence. 383-1112, FeteMusic.com THE MET September 5: The Ace Hood Competition. September 6: Ceremony. September 7: Playing Dead. September 8: Vinnie Earnshaw Memorial. September 9: The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra. September 13: The Winehouse Project. September 15: Ace Hood. September 20: Southern Culture On The Skids. September 24: Snow Tha Product. September 28: Magic City Hippies. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket.729-1005, TheMetRI.com THE STRAND September 3: Tash Sultana. September 6: Polo G: Die A Legend Tour. September 7: Lura & Mirri Lobo. September 12: This Is College: Back To School Tour. September 13: PnB Rock: TrapStar Turnt PopStar Tour. September 14: Marianas Trench. September 15: Judah & the Lion Pep Talks Worldwide Tour. September 22: Nahko And Medicine For The People. September 25: Candlebox. September 27: El Alfa. September 28: Denis Graca. 79 Washington Street, Providence. 331-5876, TheStrandRI.com

East Side Monthly • September 2019

comedy | theatre

THEATRE PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER September 11: The Piano Guys. September 29-October 5: Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. 220 Weybosset St, Providence. 4212787, PPACRI.org

LEARN

discussion | instruction | tour HAMILTON HOUSE ADULT LEARNING EXCHANGE Ongoing: Early American Floor Cloth Workshop, Quilling, Theatre Reading, Poetry Workshop, Religious History of the United States, Yoga, Dance Exercise. 276 Angell Street, Providence. 831-1800, HistoricHamilton.com LADD OBSERVATORY Open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 8-10pm, weather permitting. 210 Doyle Avenue. 863-2641, Brown.edu MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM Public Planetarium Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 785-9457, ProvidenceRI.gov/Museum PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY LIBRARY September 3, 10, 17, 24: Census Job Information. September 5: Ready for Kindergarten, Community Restorative Yoga. September 5, 12, 19, 26: Falun Dafa Group Study & Exercising. September 7: Chinese Language Class for Children. September 9: Conversations About Race. September 11: Book Chat, CareerDevs Code Night. September 12: Rochambeau Readers Book Discussion. September 14: Community Restorative Yoga. September 16, 23: Italian Conversation with Alessandro. September 17: Free English Classes, Books

and Movies of Faith. September 19, 26: Italian Conversation with Alessandro. September 24: Free English Classes. Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope Street, Providence. 272-3780, ProvComLib.org FOR FOODIES BOTTLES Thursdays 5-7pm: Spirit tasting. Fridays 4-7pm: Beer tasting. Saturdays 4-7pm: Wine tasting. 141 Pitman Street. 372-2030, BottlesFineWine.com FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND Tuesdays 3-6pm: Woonsocket Year-Round Farmers Market. Fridays 11am-1pm: Harvest Kitchen Cooking Demo. Saturdays 9am-1pm: Hope Street Farmers Market. Sundays 11am3pm: Arcade Farmers Market. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. FarmFreshRI.org

GALLERIES RISD MUSEUM Through December 1: Gorham Silver. July 19-November 3: David Hartt, Stray Light. July 24-November 29, 2020: Defying the Shadow. August 23-December 27, 2020: Raid the Icebox Now. 20 North Main Street, Providence. 454-6500, RISDMuseum.org

SPORTS PAWTUCKET RED SOX September 1-2: vs. Lehigh Valley. 1 Columbus Avenue, Pawtucket. 724-7300, PawSox.com

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East Side Monthly • September 2019 61

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mart people have figured out that buying a vehicle that’s a couple years old with low mileage is the way to get into a vehicle you love, but may be just beyond your reach. The secret? Purchasing after the value takes its first big hit: depreciation. This also saves on secondary expenses like sales tax, excise tax, and insurance. Finding that brandspanking-new looking car, with low mileage, in the right color, and with the right packages is, however, a different story. Luckily, Bob Moreau of AutoWerks can make it happen. With decades in the luxury automobile business, Bob has the knowledge and resources to find your dream car. And no one but you will know it’s not new. Bob buys from the same sources as the dealer, with less overhead, he’s able to deliver the same car for thousands less. All cars are carefully selected and rigorously tested, including evaluating the body with an electronic paint meter to be certain an accident didn’t escape Carfax reporting. Cars come with a free guarantee and AutoWerks has a team of factory-trained technicians to care for your car. They even offer free pickup and delivery! Let Bob at AutoWerks put you in a car with superior safety technology that is much more than you ever thought you could afford… and drive happily ever after!

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299 Walcott Street, Pawtucket 723.0500 • www.KitchenGuys.com East Side Monthly • September 2019 63

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East Side Monthly • September 2019

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Wonderland L THROUGH A SEASONA TRAVE L

October 3 – November 3

Celebrate the wonders of New England and all its glory and magic at the nationally acclaimed Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular presented by Citizens Bank at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Feast your senses on autumn’s beauty, winter’s swirling snow, spring’s first blossoms and summer’s ocean breezes intricately carved on thousands of pumpkins displayed along the Zoo’s beautiful Wetlands Trail.

For more information visit rwpzoo.org/jols

East Side Monthly • September 2019 65

EAST SIDER By Robert Isenberg

A Portrait of the Writer You can meet Sarah Frye pretty easily. She created a new literary series, Out of State Plates, which takes place regularly at Twenty Stories Books. She’s vibrant and fashionable and easy to chat with. You quickly learn that she’s a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the most esteemed writing program in the country. Every day, Sarah works on her novel, and she loves talking with authors about the craft of fiction writing. If a director was casting a movie about a literary bohemian in the East Side, she would be a shoo-in. But Sarah’s biography is full of surprises. You would never guess that she grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and studied International Relations at Northeastern University. You’d be surprised to learn that she dropped out of college and worked for the Department of Management at the United Nations. Or that she studied painting in Paris. Or that she came back

East Side Monthly • September 2019

to New York to work in PR. Or that she slung coffee in San Francisco. Or that she worked as a pattern-maker in a Garment District factory. “I think it’s the mistake people make when they find everything interesting,” she quips. “You start whittling away all the different jobs you can take.” Sarah has always been a reader, and she cites Jack Kerouac and Simone de Beauvoir as early influences. In San Francisco, she would hang out at City Lights Books and pick through tomes. After taking a class at the Gotham Writers Workshop, Sarah realized how much she wanted to pursue a literary career. When she finished her program in Iowa – an experience she now describes as transformative – Sarah and her husband triangulated their next move. They wanted ocean access, affordability, and walkable streets. So, they picked the East Side of Providence. “Providence is a scrappy, artsy, fun little city,”

she says. Sarah moved to Providence three years ago, and she now owns a house with her husband and two children. “You picture your kids as teenagers, and you want them to be in an art-noise band, and you want them to skateboard, or join roller derby. And I can see that happening here.” As Sarah works on her novel, she situates herself at cozy Providence go-tos like The Shop coffeehouse, the RISD Museum, or the Athenaeum. In the past six months, Sarah has started to connect with her adoptive home. “Organizing the reading series has made a huge difference. This is the first time in my life I haven’t wanted to move back to New York. It came up recently, where someone asked, ‘Do you want to move back?’ And I was like, ‘No, I’m good.’” For more about Sarah’s literary series, visit OutOfStatePlatesLit.com

Photography by Robert Isenberg

Sarah Frye is becoming a literary lynchpin in Providence, but her story is full of twists

SOLD 27 HARBOUR TERRACE CRANSTON, RI | SOLD: $1,245,000

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*This statement is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for 1995-2018 as of January 2019.

Kettle Point East Providence From the High $400,000s 401.553.6389

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